Container for pigmented liquids



Feb. 21, 1950 P. E. KNUDSEN ET AL CONTAINER FOR PIGMENTED LIQUIDSI 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 15, 1947 INVENTORS- Feb. 21, 1950 P. E. KNUDSEN ET AL CONTAINER FOR PIGMENTED LIQUIDS.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 15, 1947 F42 @seav Kw/osE/v HTTORNFK Patented Feb. 21, 195() TENT OFFICE 2,498,125 CONTAINER FOR PIGMENTED LIQUIDS Percy E. Knudsen, Pittsburgh, Pa., and Earl H. Heaton, Ferndale, Mich, assignors to Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company,

Allegheny County,

Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February 15, 1947, Serial No. 728,876 7 6 Claims.

The present invention relates to containers and it has particular relation to portable containers for shipping and storing liquids which contain heavy pigments likely to settle out of the liquids during transportation and storage.

One object of the invention is to provide a portable container for pigmented liquids in which the contents of the container can conveniently be agitated in order to obtain uniform dispersion of pigmentary materials in the liquid medium.

A second object is to provide an agitator device which is well adapted to keep the contents of the container thoroughly stirred, but which can be inserted in or removed from the container through a comparatively small opening.

A third object of the invention is to provide a container of relatively sturdy construction which can. conveniently be picked up and handled by mechanical means during such operations as weighing, transporting and shipping or prepara-- tory to storage and without the use of pallets or similar devices for supporting the containers.

A fourth object of the invention is to provide a portable container for paints and other pigmentary materials that can conveniently be emptied by mechanical means.

A fifth object is to provide a portable container for paints and such like pigmented liquids that can be stacked and stored with maximum convenience and with maximum security and economy of space.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from consideration of the following specification and claims.

In the handling and storage of such pigmented liquids as paints and lacquers and notably of compositions employed in the coating of automobiles, it is often desirable to handle and store considerable volumes of the materials. Heretofore barrels or drums have beenemployed for the purpose. However, the compositions are so heavy, that for conventional methods of handling, the sizes of the containers must be limited for example to about 55 gallons. Even these containers when so charged are exceedingly heavy for conventional handling by manpower operations. The containers are but poorly adapted for manipulation by mechanical means since they conventionally are not provided with adequate means to facilitate insertion of lifting trucks or forks under the containers. Moreover, the sizes are not well adapted for economical mechanical handling. Also, the containers usually are bulged or have projecting rims or flanges that are uneconomical of space in storage and ship-' ping operations and which render the stacks unstable.

The present invention contemplates the prowhich is ideally suited for 5 manipulation by mechanical equipment and by piling or stacking with maximum of security and in minimum space. These effects are attained by formation of the containers with cylindrical sides and substantialtop portions secured together in an essentially integral manner, for example, wall whereby to provide containers free of projections that would consume unnecessary space and to provide top and bottom surfaces that are fiat and excellently adapted for stacking operations with a The invention of skids upon the flat bottom structures designed to admit'of convenient insertion of lifting apparatus'under designed to act as fulcrums permitting the satisfactory tipping As another feature the invention contemplates the provision of an agitator structure that can be inthe container through relatively small manholes that can conveniently be covered and sealed by means of comparatively small plates and gaskets that are easy vision of a container which can be stored 10 lyflat bottom and by welding to the cylindrical side maximum stability of the piles. further contemplates the provision the containers and further being of the containers to pour out the contents.

serted and withdrawn from m to remove or replace.

shown in Figure l. a spider suitable for shown in Figure 1. In the drawing, throughout. The Figure 1 comprises an outer shell 10 erably is formed of relatively strong as steel and which usually will be of for admitting of mechanical handling ing of the containers without dentlng.

ical hauling and hoisting equipment.

prises plate like like numerals refer to like parts construction as indicated in which prefmetal such substantial thickness in order to assure adequate strength and stack- A thickness of about is usually satisfactory for containers of a capacity of about one ton which is a convenient size for handling by most mechanby grinding or by working withother tQQ1 .ii so, desired.

The top portion is formed; .with; a pouring spout I6 at or near the edge; thereofiandwhich; may be secured about a suitable. opening: in the top by means of welding or brazing as indicated' at IT. This spout is closed by meansof a plug l8 threaded into the spout and beingprovided with a securing chain [9 inorder to prevent; itsv loss.

orde o, edmitqf. a c sstc. he. inteniqn f the container and also to admit the insertion Qt a a ita o ndicat d! gen rally; atziamano e-2:21 ormed, in. the tonendmay he clo ed br pla eike member 2-3,. Which rests: pon. a suitable, sealing gasket 24 between; the.- top H and. e. l t he plate-is. cl mpedagainst t askety. means of. bolts, 26.- havinenutsi-zn threadcs athereupcn;

A'de nession 4 am d nthematefl at e. ent r reof. an is. c a ialtwith the axis o he c rrini c :--v 'Ehischpressiom has. an: op n.- ne. iormcd he ein con t tut naa ea -ma for he haft Q,. hB- a itator 2 he shaf-tis s med. eer 2awanc1,is.1oc ed iromi rotation in ther le tc y pinsifi i. Theiupperex.- tremity f. th s sha t is; f rmed-with ancna jmu ar a ctangular p rtion. .0. c iened o fit n. a. sqc et rchucko a dr ng; device. not Shawn). and sc eiiedibr ascrew-threadedplu ch s hre ded n o hedepressicn. 28. and lme p a to. P12QVm' he 9ape ofthe.- ontents f. herenta ner abo t. he. myfiltrex ncmity 'of he hatt- At t o 2- xtremity-the shaft. 29 s-iq malest n. a hei t. bearng 32 which. s. so.- uced. o. he; b ttom ate not he-container and. s; ncl sedz y; aha-ism .Qnshield 32c.

The aeitaton shat carr esatcast ne .3 which may be termed; a. spider? secured upon-.the lower end thereof in conuenient manner;,,fpr xamp ea s. t sct cnews 3.4.0.1: y a-key ni qt Mao o her; ui ab e-device esigh diz o QRWQIIE z latire t n: bet een; t e; hai and t a ide t- 'the p de asibclt ho es aaformed h r niand.asehotwni nfi sulzeia. has machined verticah faces .3 6. and 31- upon which the inner x rem ies-- 2: ra ial. a it tor arms 38: and-.39 ide-- arms;- are piv tal ys ecu ed; to.- the spider by means of bolts 4|. and-.-42 :extending htquehi o es it he: a ms; pr ferably are: of a: lengtigtp reach, approximately tolthew outer Wall f; h nta ner-hm sweep-f ee y w thin w 'A1 s o;. th lower edges; of the: arms jened; jus r y. cclearsthe :hQm' Om'iSur? thacantai er. hereby o; preyentcakine f; 11. street. hfii arms: may. month infinite have downwa dly-i cl ned urf ces 44-, h t crminater n. a ow r.- edee. 4min a ehimanne as oassi h ap ckin up-.-any;-nie-: mate ia tendina oicollectrpmtheibote tom of the containern rder; emaintai maximum; -gitationrof t e patents Qfi e cnta ner when: the shaft 9tatcd;-. he-arms; may abate-prov ded with-upwardlye s endcdihlades 4-1; thattmsyg e 1 P mented-1;.

and bottom and the side walls may be enhanced.

disposed in a plane at an angle to the radius of the drum in such manner as to impel the material with which the arms contact inwardly or outwardly as may be desired. It will be apparent that the blades on one of the arms 39 are designed to pass upon one side of the shaft 28 when the-arm, 39 is swung; upwardly to the roken. line. position shown atrX'in- Fi'g: 1 while the members 41 upon the other arm are designed to pass upon the other side of the shaft so as to admit of folding the two arms into compact unit which will freely pass through the manholeZZ;

For the purposes of admitting a fork or a lifting. plat-formxunder the container the bottom thereofiis provided with supporting elements which. may, be termed skids indicated at 48 which usually are straight and of channel section; one flange of each channel being secured by welding or other appropriate methods to the ottom. of; the. container" These members-48 are. disposed, im parallelism. and, are. alscso; dis+ ppsed...that; whemone; containeris stacked; upon the flatv top surface of. another; the: skids of, the top container willnot interfere. with the. discharge spout L6 or. the plu -r34. or. any, other. projecting, surfaces. associated. with. the, top..- The skids=are spaced, asshown iniFig. 2; a. distance from. the. axis. of. the. oontainerlessflhan. that fromthe axis: to. the spout. That. is., each skid is: on. a. chord. of. the, circumference. of. the, containen. The, skids. 68,. it; will. be apparent, con.- stitute convenient reinforcements, for the. bot= tomsof. the. .containen. They also, provide 1 relatively broad. surfacesproyiding .a..maximum. of bearing surface upon. .the;.fla.t tops oi-sthe supporting, containers. whentthe containers, are stacked. They, further... facilitate. stacking. since they. dd. not. require. to, be. brought into. exact registry, with the. top.- on. which, they. are seated in or,der..to, attain stability.

Whenji'pis desireditdpour. the contentsphthe container. into. another; container. such .as.a.r.eser- V011: of; a! paint. spraying a paratusior intoother smaller. containers itmayme desirable totilt. the container forward. In.the..initial,staeestofitilt: ing,..,the forward oneof. the skids-.mayact as a fulcrum. To. vfacilitate .this. pouring..- operation, a.lug-..or.lugs,.52 maybe; secured. for example,..by weldingto ,thebottom ,of the container, and-may. also be welded to the contiguous... skid. This member. 52. is, iormed ..w-ith fill-.OQBIHIIE; .531\in which, aehook :of a. chain; hoist or. other. suitable hoisting equipment can besecuredjnorder to admit of. mechanical elevation .of :the sides of, the container to, tilt the pouring,spout,forward.I

If; the contents ofjthe, container. are .to. be. dis.- chargedthrough the pouring spout it may, be desirable to admit air.- to, the container inorder to prevent the ,atmosphericpressure from .interfering with the. pouring. operation. To. this ,end, as. air vent 514 may besecuredto, the. side of. the container: near the; bQttOIIlr-ihClflOf. and con.- tiguous to the: lifting element. 52. This. .vent is proyidedwith,ascrew plugriifirtethered; from loss by aichain .51. Q It will .be;apparent..that.theposh tionpttheventfifi maybe changedif desiredtbut the -.position. shown.- i5 9 convenient, since: it. cone stitutes. a high point. when ,thecontainer; is-tilted well forward:

In the operation of. the-J apparatus. herein shown and described, the-container may be-disposed; upon suitabla. scales of: adequate capacity or; BIRCH-13,1137 other support? and .paint; on; other material filled into; thercontainer.

through the pouring spout 16. When a sufficient amount of material has thus been filled into the container the plug 18 may be secured in place. The entire assembly can easily be lifted from the scale platform by a suitable lifting device such as a fork or a platform upon a lifting truck and carried to storage or to a loading platform for loading onto freight cars.

If it is desired to stack the containers, they may be lifted by mechanical means such as a fork truck previously referred to and stacked one upon the other so that the skids of the containers above rest upon the relatively smooth, fiat surfaces of the containers below.

When it is desired to empty the container, the agitator mechanism 2i may be operated by any convenient source of power such as a separate vertical shaft (not shown) having a chuck acting upon the upper extremity of shaft 29, in order to stir up the contents of the container. When it is desired to pour out all or a portion of the contents, plug i8 is removed and a chain or other convenient hoist may be secured in the opening 53 so that the container can be tilted forward upon skid 48 as a fulcrum to permit the contents to run out into the desired receiver.

If the container is to be cleaned, or the agitator is for any reason to be removed, the bolts of the manhole cover 23 can be taken out, the agitator swung up and the whole assembly lifted out. The necessity of removing the entire head H is thus avoided.

The forms of the apparatus shown herein may be considered as typical or representative of the principles of the invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the forms of the invention herein illustrated are merely by way of example and that numerous modifications may be made therein without departure from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A container for storage and shipment of liquids, said container comprising a cylindrical side wall, substantially flat top and bottom walls integral with the side wall and being free of projecting rims, a pouring spout projecting upwardly at the edge of the top, a pair of spaced parallel skids on the bottom disposed perpendicular to a plane bisecting the container through the pouring spout, said skids being secured to the bottom of the container each skid being spaced from the axis of the container a distance less than that from the axis to the spout, said skids being in position to admit insertion of lifting mechanism under the container and being designed to rest upon the top of a second container corresponding to the first with the bottom of the first out of contact with the pouring spout of the second.

2. A container for storage and shipment of liquids, said container comprising a cylindrical side wall, substantially flat top and bottom walls integral. with the side Wall and being free of projecting rims, a pouring spout projecting upwardly at the edge of the top, a pair of spaced parallel skids on the bottom disposed perpendicular to a plane bisecting the container through the pouring spout, said skids being secured to the bottom of the container each skid being spaced from the axis of the container a distance less than that from the axis to the spout, said skids being in position to admit of insertion of lifting mechanism under the container and being designed to rest upon the top of a second container corresponding to the first with the bottom of the first out of contact with the pouring spout of the second and means for attaching a lifting device to the bottom of the container at a point in a plane extending through the pouring spout and bisecting the container whereby the container can be tilted forwardly about the f integral with the side wall and being free of projecting rims, a pouring spout projecting upwardly at the edge of the top wall, a pair of spaced parallel skids on the bottom disposed perpendicular to a plane bisecting the container through the pouring spout, said skids being secured to the bottom of the container each skid being spaced from the axis of the container a distance less than that from the axis to the spout, said skids being in position to admit insertion of a lifting mechanism under the container and being designed to rest upon the top of a second container corresponding to the first with the bottom of the first out of contact with the pouring spout of the second and means for attaching a tilting device to the bottom of the container at a point in a plane extending through the pouring spout and bisecting the container, whereby the container can be tilted about the forward of said skids as a fulcrum to empty the contents through the pouring spout and an opening near the last mentioned means and a plug disposed in the opening whereby when the container is tilted I to drain the contents, air can be admitted to the 1 space above the contents.

4. A container for storage and shipment of paints, said container comprising a cylindrical side wall and substantially fiat top and bottom plates secured to the side wall, a manhole cut in the top plate, an agitator shaft disposed in a bearing formed in the plate, said agitator shaft at its lower extremity being journaled in a thrust bearing upon the bottom of the container, said agitator shaft contiguous to its lower end being provided with a spider rigidly secured thereupon, a pair of oppositely disposed agitator arms pivoted for individual vertical swinging movement upon the spider toward the shaft, the arms at their outer extremities being provided with vertically disposed blades, the blades upon one arm being disposed to pass upon one side of the shaft while those upon the other arm are disposed to pass on the other side of the shaft when the arms are swung upwardly whereby to permit the agitator to be withdrawn through the manhole when the arms are swung upwardly, said arms extending approximately to the cylindrical wall when they are lowered.

5. A container for storage and shipment of paints, said container comprising a cylindrical side wall, flat top and bottom plates having cylindrical flanges welded to the contiguous edges of the side wall, straight skids disposed in parallel relation upon the bottom, a spout upon the top disposed in a plane bisecting the skids and being disposed at the edge of the plate, the skids being disposed to rest upon the top of a corresponding container between the spout and the axis of the container while the other skid is equally spaced from said axis and a lifting lug secured to-the bottom plate whereby the container can be tilted forwardly to pour the contents through said spout.

6. A container for storage and shipment of paints, said container comprising a cylindrical 7 sidewall;,flaktitopsandz bottomaplatesr-vsecuredzzto thearsideswail, anpaii: ofipatallebskids; securedto the: bottomxplate; a.- spout: upon itheizuppermlate contignousrte the: edgezthereo-f and? being disposed: in'zaa planes bisecting:the= skids,: the skids being-disposewto rest 'upon the toppof: a corresponding: container: between: theaxis;- of the container and-,zthe spoutxwhile ;"h8';0fih81r$kid* is equally: spaced: frorrrsaid axis;.= a; lifting lugv secured: upom thesbottom plate wherebytheecon tamer: can be.-:ti1tec1- forwardlytorpour 'the contentssth-rough {the spnut saim container further being: provided zwithi at: air vent alsozxdisppsed in: the plane-2bisecbingrtheskids contiguous to the bottom edge:

PERCY E.- KNUDSENi EARLl-I; HEATON;

8 REFERENCES CITED The following; references are of recordthe file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

